Foodstuffs managing director Steve Anderson said: "The plastic bag ban, our work to improve and remove plastic packaging where appropriate, our leadership in soft plastics recycling and the ban on microbeads and plastic cotton buds - all add up to major changes in the way we look after New Zealand."

Mr Anderson said since the company began talking about plastic bag reduction it has seen between a 20 to 36 percent drop in plastic bag usage in its stores..

Some of its stores have already gone plastic bag free including New World Devonport and Four Square in Raglan, Matakana and Martinborough.

From August 29, New World in Howick and Marton and Pak'nSave Silverdale will go plastic bag free.

Mr Anderson said customers at New World, Pak'nSave and Four Square will see more reusable bags.

"By the end of March next year we will have given away a reusable bag to pretty much every New Zealander. We see our beautiful bags everywhere; on the beach, in the park, at the gym, in our stores and they've even been spotted at our competitors' stores. That's perfectly okay. The more we all change to reusables, the faster we stop plastic bags ending up in the environment."

In Australia there has been widespread frustration known as 'bag rage' after a plastic bag ban was introduced, with customers frustrated that they had to pay to buy more environmentally friendly options.

"We don't anticipate the same reaction in New Zealand. Perhaps it's because Kiwis are keener to look after what we have," Mr Anderson said.

"We're all neighbours, we're one big family - we look out for each other and our patch. New Zealand is ready to roll with no plastic bags at the checkout from 1 January, 2019. So are we."

Countdown is phasing out single-use plastic bags at all of its stores by the end of 2018.

It will phase out single-use plastic bags at 42 more stores from August 13, making 52 or one third of its supermarkets plastic bag free.